Carbon Neutral Brazilian Beef (CNBB):an old-new concept for sustainable grass-fed beef

(Carne Carbono Neutro)

Dra. Fabiana Villa AlvesEmbrapa Beef Cattle - Brazil

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Brazilian beef production is concentrated in the Midwest and North of Brazil – Savanah region (CERRADO) and Tropical forest (AMAZÔNIA Legal)

95-97%

3-5%

Grass-fed (cultivated and natural pastures)

Feedlot (mainly for finishing)

Adptade fromhttp://www.spe.fazenda.gov.br/pmr_brasil/2o-workshop-tecnico/apresentacoes/19-sessao-agropecuaria-5-bernard-appy-ccif.pdf

PRODUCTIONSYSTEMS

Degradedpasture

Pasture(monocultive)

Improvedpasture

Improvedpasture

TECHNIFICATION LEVEL

Very low Low Medium High

ANIMAL/ ha 0,5 1,0 1,7 2,2

SLAUGHTER AGE 48 36 24 20

ANIMAL EMISSION (kg)

74 48 39 31

SOIL EMISSION (kg)

48 2 -16 -11

How Brazil is coping with its livestockdecarbonization?

122 50 2023

INCREASING USE OF BEST

AGRICULTURE PRACTICES

Less beef for more world sustainability?????

Evolution of ICLFs - Brazil

Mha

Years

Source: www.ilpf.com.br

6x

10 years

11,5 Mha

Estimated area of Integrated Crop Livestock Forestry Systems(ICLFs) in Brazil

Source: www.ilpf.com.br

Benefits of ICLFs as compared to traditional systems

Nutrient recycling

Biodiversity andsustainability

Increase inincome

Animalwelfare

Soil quality

Increase in productivitygrain, beef, milk, forestry

Can be used in allproperties size

Labor more efficientalong the year

Energetic balancewater, light, nutrients

Optimization ofproduction factors

Creation ofnew jobs

Image improvement ofproducers before society

Reduction indeforestation

Mitigation ofGHGs

Economic stability less risks and uncertainties

Source: www.ilpf.com.br

Depends of tree specie, plantspacing, plant density and

season

Decrease of 80%

solar radiation

Decrease of 30% in

heat load

Decrease

from 2 to

9ºC in air

temperature

Decrease from 26%

to 61% in wind

velocity

THERMAL CONFORT

Additional area with CLIFs and CO2 eq stored

Future Target

First TargetAccomplished

mC

LIFs

/ M

ha

TimeM

g o

fC

O2

eq

. st

ore

d

11,47 Mha of CLIFs 35,1 Mg of stored CO2 eq.

5,51 Mha of CLIFs 13,3 Mg of stored CO2 eq.

Source: www.ilpf.com.br

2018

Integrated Systems

• less 55% GHG emissions

• 6 x less area

- 54% cost ofproduction

+ 74% soilquality

+ 41% biodiversity

- 20% waterconsumption

Adapted from Balbino (2009)

Carbon Balance* (kg CO2eq/ha.year):

EMISSIONS:1 Animal: + 1.200 kg CO2eq

Solo: + 800 kg CO2eq

TOTAL: + 2.000 kg CO2eq

SEQUESTRATION:Solo: - kg CO2eq

100 Árvores: - kg CO2eq

TOTAL: - kg CO2eq

TOTAL: +2.000 kg CO2eq

(Emission of 2 ton. of carbon!)

Degraded Pastures:-0,8 - 1 animal/ha.year;-100kg of carcass/year;-Degrade soil;-Degrade water;-Misuse of the area. * Balanço teórico calculado para fins didáticos.

Source: Berndt (2018)

EMISSIONS:3 Animais: + 3.600 kg CO2eq

Adubações: + 1.500 kg CO2eq

TOTAL: + 5.100 kg CO2eq

SEQUESTRATION:Solo: - 1.000 kg CO2eq

100 TREES: - 6.100 kg CO2eq

TOTAL: - 7.100 kg CO2eq

SALDO: - 2.000 kg CO2eq

(Sequestro de 2 ton.de carbono!)

ICLFs:-3 animals/ha.year;-Produce 500kg of carcass/year;-Produce mayze, soybean, rice, pearmillet;-Produce biofuel and wood;-Conserve soil and water;-Effect “Save-land”.

* Balanço teórico calculado para fins didáticos.

Source: Berndt (2018)

Carbon Balance* (kg CO2eq/ha.year):

Carbon Neutral Brazilia Beef Label

Trademark registered by INPI, in 2014, for products andservices, under the protocols 907078982, 907079156 and907079270.

Concept

“Carbon Neutral Brazilian Beef” is a concepttrademark developed by Embrapa (BrazilianAgricultura Research Corporation), aiming tocertify beef whose respective GHG emissionswere mitigated during the production process, bytrees under silvopastoral or agrosilvopastoralfarming systems (ICLF) and whose productionprocess is recognized, certifiable and auditable.

2018

App CCN Guidelines

2017

Current Status

• Embrapa is the pioneer and protagonist ofthe CCN certification process, which hasbeen considered a new concept for sustainable certified beef production in thetropics by various international forums (FAO, COP 23, GFFA, GALA-Colombia, Ianas-USA, SRUC-Scotland, MAG-Paraguay);

• Started in Mato Grosso do Sul

• The validation process in commercial farms hasalready expanded to other Brazilian States (GO, TO, PA, MG, PR);

Current Status

• The coordination with public and privatecompanies made it possible to improve theprotocol for its implementation in medium/large scale farms in all territory

Current Status

• Several options available for business model thatare in action

• Groups of farmers formally associated (existing and tobe created)

• Tax incentive policies (public policy, incorporating tothe ABC Plan)

• Payment of certification by meatpackers, withretention of surplus carbon credits to them (after theBrazilian market regulation)

Current Status

1. Brazilian livestock emits GHG, but can also remove a lot;

Key messages:Key messages:

1. Brazilian livestock emits GHG, but can also remove a lot;

Key messages:

1. Brazilian livestock emits GHG, but can also remove a lot;

2. “Sustainable intensification” can reduce emissions;

Key messages:

1. Brazilian livestock emits GHG, but can also remove a lot;

2. Intensification can reduce emissions;

3. The best strategy to reduce GHG are good pasture management and integrated crop-livestock-forest systems

Key messages:Key messages:

4. Carbon Neutral Brazilian Beef is abusiness opportunity in thecontext of sustainability, production efficiency, climatechange, reduction ofenvironment impacts, animal welfare, food safety andinternational credibility for Brazil

Key messages:Key messages:

LCBBLow Carbon Brazilian Beef

• It is a CCN unfolding• Identification of market opportunity also for

meats from WELL managed pastures (they are the only ones that can ensure the carbonreduction mechanisms in this case, in thesoil)

LCBB

• Production of low-carbon beef in tropicalgrasslands

• A trademark concept developed by Embrapa, aiming to certify carbon beef whoserespective GHG emissions were mitigatedduring the production process, by increasingthe stock of carbon in grasslands soils, andwhose production process is recognized, certifiable and auditable.

LCBBLow Carbon Brazilian Beef

LCBB

• Early stages of development of guidelines(Protocol)

LCBBLow Carbon Brazilian Beef

Obrigada!

Fabiana Villa Alves

fabiana.alves@embrapa.br

www.embrapa.br